There exists a need for interrupting the supply of gas and other utilities to consumers and to various types of utilization devices. For example, in relationship to multi-apartment dwellings, access may be denied to a company supplying gas to consumers even though the supplier may be desirous of gaining access for terminating the flow of gas through associated gas meters. This desire to terminate the supply of gas may be due to various reasons such as, for example, the fact that a consumer has repeatedly failed to pay for past services and supplies. Heretofore, the only known technique for terminating the supply of gas to such a consumer has been a direct approach to the consumer's gas meter to make an adjustment to prevent the through flow of gas via the meter to the consumer.
There are a number of devices in which a telephone line or a remote control signal is employed to operate one type of device or another. Some of these arrangements are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,616,972; 3,446,976; 3,742,141; 4,243,973; and 4,267,406. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,490 shows the utilization of telephone lines for alarm and utility meter reading purposes. None of these patents show the utilization of telephone lines or remote control signals for purposes of controlling the supply of gas to a consumer.
Ralph McNutt shows in U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,972 an arragement whereby, when a telephone rings, a light energized by a house circuit is immediately turned on, thereby lighting the room to enable a person answering the telephone to readily find the telephone and answer the telephone call.
Clifford Shaw shows in U.S. Pat. No. 3,446,976 a remote volume control apparatus operated by a varying magnetic field produced by the ringing of a telephone to decrease the volume of an audio amplifier during a telephone conversation. The remote volume control is manually reset to restore the volume of the audio amplifier to its original level after the telephone conversation has terminated.
Robert Duncan et al show in U.S. Pat. No. 3,742,141 an electric circuit arrangement whereby an electric circuit is provided for each room of a hotel or the like and is selectively operated from a central control desk to light a lamp assigned to the corresponding room whereby to indicate whether the room is vacant or rented.
David Sandidge shows in U.S. Pat. No. 4,243,973 a coordinating unit which receives an input signal from the ringing circuit of a telephone or the like. The coordinating unit through a program muting circuit reduces the volume of televisions, radios or the like.
James Perry discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,406 an energy saving apparatus for selectively controlling the heating or cooling equipment in hotels or the like by permitting deactivation of the associated equipment when the room is unoccupied and when the temperature in the room is within a preselected range. Automatic reactivation of the equipment is furthermore provided. The apparatus utilizes portions of a preexisting conventional telephone installation and particularly utilizes the tip and ring lines between a central station and a telephone provided in the room for carrying electric power and signals required for effecting the temperature control.
Charles Pettis discloses in U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,490 a system for utilizing existing telephone subscriber lines for low-level signalling. The arrangement is employed for alarm and utility meter reading systems.